BridgeMaster Software For Linking OPC Server to OPC Server

The BridgeMaster interface runs under all the Windows operating systems beyond XP. The two modes of operation associated with the interface are "Configure mode" and "Runtime mode". In Configure mode a user can configure settings and create links (or tag mappings). In Runtime mode the interface uses the currently loaded configuration to communicate with the external OPC Server(s).

BridgeMaster supports the following features:

• OPC Data Access V3.0 compliant Servers, OPC Data Access V2.x compliant servers and OPC Data Access V1.a compliant servers.
• Dual server redundancy scheme supports redundant OPC Server connections implementing user-selectable fail-over mechanisms.
• Server Redundancy now includes ability to define a heartbeat/watchdog tag per side.
• Ability to run as a Windows service for standalone, dedicated data transfer ability (without a user logged in).
• BridgeMaster Control Panel application allows start and stop of the service.
• Supports COM/DCOM
• Supports and implements OPC DA V3.x improved functionality such as:
  • Ability to transfer VQT (Value, Quality and Timestamp) on a group by group basis for all tags within a group
  • Implements usage of Keep Alive mechanism for Redundancy
  • Ability to set individual Item Deadband values on an item by item basis for noisy tags
  • Supports new server status: OPC_STATUS_COMM_FAULT used for redundancy failover
  • Supports new quality status: WAITING_FOR_INITIAL_DATA
• User-Selectable two way data flow movement on a group by group basis
• Supports selectable User-Requested OPC Version to use on a group by group basis, defaulting to "Use Best Available Interface". Each group provides feedback as to what OPC version is actually being used with the server
• Supports ability to Bulk Add Items in order to speed up startup
• Optimized data throughput via Bulk Tag Writes (VQT or ‘Value-Only’) during runtime
• Allows selection of writes and reads to be made synchronously (polled) or asynchronously (on data change) on a group by group basis as well as selection of whether to transfer VQT or ‘Value-Only’ (if V3.x supported)
• OPC Server configuration dialog allows easy configuration of the OPC Server and node by browsing and selecting an existing OPC Server and node
• Simple Tag Map definition dialog allows individual mapping of an ‘A’ side OPC server tag to a ‘B’ side OPC server tag. Tag Map definition includes defining attributes such as OPC Item names, description and data source. Optionally, scaling conversion using conversion tables can be defined to convert raw or discrete values from one system to the other.
• The Unlimited Version supports unlimited user-defined tag map definitions
• Tag Map configurations are stored in a serialized compact binary file
• Simple configuration with ‘Drag & Drop’ capabilities for mapping lots of tags in bulk quickly
• Supports ability to easily Import/Export BridgeMaster Tag Map configurations to CSV files, which can be created and/or edited with Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access or any text editor
• Error and informational messages displayed in the main window in runtime along with the optional user-configurable specification of maintaining this data in daily log files
• Runtime tag monitoring ability to view and change (read/write) data values in either OPC Server from main client window
• Runtime ability to add or delete tag maps, change item names, and/or change group update rates, Item Dead Bands, Keep Alive rates, etc.
• Up to 100 connectors (OPC interfaces) can be defined
• Ability to browse any local or remote OPC Server.
• Supports automatic data conversion with all data types, including arrays of any type (VT_ARRAY), currency (VT_CY), strings (VT_BSTR) and dates (VT_DATE)
• Allows runtime view of OPC Server Status, performance statistics and visual representation of a changing heartbeat
• Written using multi-threading and C++ for faster data transfer and higher performance
• Written in UNICODE (for support of UNICODE text, such Kanji OPC Item names)
• Tested with over 1,000,000 tags (500K Links)
• Provides shortcuts for commonly used utilities such as Ping, DCOM Configuration Utility, Services Manager and running an external OPC Client

Vendor: RoviSys Company

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RoviSys was founded in 1989 as one of the first control systems integrators in North America, RoviSys has evolved to become a leading independent provider of comprehensive process automation solutions and services. The company has completed more than 2,500 projects for more than 300 companies in nearly 100 industries. In addition to systems integration services, RoviSys provides the industry premier OPC server for ABB Bailey Harmony / INFI 90 / NETWORK 90 DCS systems. Linking this server to other OPC servers is easily accomplished using the BridgeMaster OPC to OPC linking product.